Coleus Plant Named &#39;UF14-24-1&#39;

ABSTRACT

‘UF14-24-1’ is a new coleus plant distinguished by having a vigorous compact mounded growth habit, excellent heat tolerance, consistent bright chartreuse leaves when grown in both sun and shade conditions, and desirable late flowering characteristics, as disclosed herein.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Plectranthus scutellarioides.

Cultivar denomination: ‘UF14-24-1’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of coleus plant named ‘UF14-24-1’. ‘UF14-24-1’ originated from an open pollination conducted in May-November 2012 in Gainesville, Fla. between the female coleus plant ‘UF13-1-6’ (unpatented) and an unknown male coleus plant. A single seedling was chosen in May 2014 for further asexual propagation in Gainesville, Fla.

‘UF14-24-1’ has been reproduced asexually for over two years through vegetative cuttings and has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations. ‘UF14-24-1’ was first propagated asexually by meristem tip cuttings in May 2014 in Gainesville, Fla., and has remained true-to-type since that time.

‘UF14-24-1’ has not been made publicly available more than one year prior to the filing date of this application.

When compared to the female parent ‘UF13-1-6’, ‘UF14-24-1’ has chartreuse lance-shaped leaves that are much longer than wide, while ‘UF13-1-6’ has much larger leaves colored lemon yellow with purple margins. ‘UF14-24-1’ has an extremely vigorous well-branched mounded habit, whereas ‘UF13-1-6’ is vigorous, but much more upright in habit and less lateral branching.

‘UF14-24-1’ has bright chartreuse foliage color similar to ‘UF08-4-3’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,585); however, ‘UF14-24-1’ is not as upright and rangy in growth habit as is ‘UF08-4-3’. ‘UF14-24-1’ has lance-shaped leaves and a mounded growth habit similar to ‘UF12-82-3’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,288) and ‘UF12-73-5’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,499); however, the foliage color of ‘UF12-82-3’ and ‘UF12-73-5’ is not purely chartreuse as is the foliage color of ‘UF14-24-1’.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of ‘UF14-24-1’ when grown under normal horticultural practices in Gainesville, Fla. ‘UF14-24-1’ has a combination of a novel, vigorous, compact upright growth habit, excellent heat tolerance, and consistent bright chartreuse leaves. ‘UF14-24-1’ has superior foliage color stability in both sun and shade conditions, maintaining stable color in all conditions. ‘UF14-24-1’ has a vigorous but compact upright growth habit with excellent lateral branching when grown as a stock plant, thus providing ample vegetative propagules for producers. Due to the plant never being observed to produce flowers in Gainesville, Fla., ‘UF14-24-1’ is desirable for long-season performance in the landscape.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This new coleus plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographs, which show the plant's form and foliage. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures. FIGS. 2 and 3 were taken of plants grown for eleven weeks from unrooted cuttings in October-December, 2016 in a poly-covered plastic greenhouse in Gainesville, Fla.

FIG. 1—shows the pedigree of the claimed plant.

FIG. 2—shows the growth habit, form, and foliage of the claimed plant.

FIG. 3—shows a close-up of the foliage of the claimed plant.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description sets forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘UF14-24-1’. The detailed description was obtained using eleven-week-old plants grown from unrooted cuttings in October-December of 2016 in a poly-covered plastic greenhouse in Gainesville, Fla. The plants were propagated in mist for 10 days after cuttings were stuck, then grown in 1-gallon pots for approximately nine and a half additional weeks. Color references are to the R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.), 2007 5th Edition.

-   Classification:     -   -   Family.—Lamiaceae.         -   Botanical.—Plectranthus scutellarioides.         -   Common name.—Coleus.         -   Cultivar name.—‘UF14-24-1’. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Spreading.         -   Habit.—Loosely Mounded.         -   Height (from top of soil).—25-30 cm.         -   Width (horizontal plant diameter).—60-65 cm. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cuttings.—Vegetative meristems having at least 1 node.         -   Time to initiate roots.—3-4 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—7-10 days.         -   Root habit.—Fibrous.         -   Root description.—Callus forms in 2 to 3 days, roots             initiate in 3-4 days and become a highly branched cutting in             7-10 days. -   Branches:     -   -   Quantity per plant.—12-14.         -   Branch color.—RHS 144B.         -   Texture.—Smooth.         -   Pubescence.—Not present.         -   Stem description.—Square-shaped stem, 0.8 cm in diameter at             the soil line.         -   Branch diameter.—0.5-0.6 cm at the base of a 24 cm long             branch.         -   Branch length.—22-25 cm.         -   Internode length.—4-5 cm.         -   Anthocyanin.—Not present. -   Leaves:     -   -   Quantity of leaves per branch.—18-20.         -   Arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Fragrance.—Not fragrant.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Length.—10-12 cm.         -   Width.—3-4 cm.         -   Apex.—Narrowly acute.         -   Base.—Oblique.         -   Margin.—Lobed.         -   Leaf texture (both surfaces).—Smooth.         -   Pubescence color (both surfaces).—Not present.         -   Venation color.—Upper surface: Center: RHS 4D. Lower             surface: RHS 145C.         -   Venation pattern.—Upper surface: Arcuate. Lower surface:             Reticulate.         -   Color.—Immature leaf: Upper surface: RHS N144B. Lower             surface: RHS 150B.         -   Color.—Mature leaf: Upper surface: RHS N144C. Lower surface:             RHS 145A.         -   Petiole length.—4-5 cm.         -   Petiole diameter.—0.2-0.3 cm.         -   Petiole color.—RHS N144D.         -   Petiole texture.—Smooth, no pubescence. -   Flowers and seeds: Flowers and seeds have not been observed. -   Fruit/seed set: Fruit/seed not observed. -   Disease and insect resistance: Disease and insect resistance is     typical of the species, thus no claims are made of any superior     disease or insect resistance with this cultivar. The most common     insect pests observed on this plant in Gainesville, Fla. have been     long-tailed or citrus mealybugs (Pseudococcus sp.), which occur on     older stock plant material held in the greenhouse for over 3-4     months. Impatiens Necrotic Spot Virus (Bunyaviridae) has also been     observed in plants confined in greenhouses with mixed crops     (peppers) infected with Western flower thrips (Frankliniella     occidentalis). The most common pathogen of this species in the U.S.     is downy mildew (Pernonspora lamii) which has been observed in stock     materials grown closely together in cooler growing seasons. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct Plectranthus scutellarioides plant named ‘UF14-24-1’ as described and illustrated herein. 